Written Answers

Monday 22 May 2000

Scottish Executive

Benefit Fraud

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is given to Procurators Fiscal about the prosecution of housing benefit fraud and whether it monitors decisions by Procurators Fiscal to prosecute or not in cases of alleged housing benefit fraud.

Colin Boyd QC: Procurators Fiscal are instructed that proceedings in respect of any offence must only be instituted where there is sufficient admissible evidence both that a crime was committed and that the accused committed it. They must also be satisfied that prosecution is in the public interest. Housing benefit fraud may be prosecuted both under statute and at common law. Guidance has been issued in respect of common law fraud and the relevant Social Security offences. Decision-making by Procurators Fiscal is monitored across the whole range of offences and alleged housing benefit fraud is part of that exercise.

Benefit Fraud

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any variations in practice among Procurators Fiscal in the prosecution of housing benefit fraud and, if so, what action it is taking to address such variations.

Colin Boyd QC: There are no variations in practice among Procurators Fiscal in the prosecution of housing benefit fraud though variations in the content of reports made to Procurators Fiscal undoubtedly lead to variations as to outcome as Procurators Fiscal apply the usual criteria to all cases reported to them. These include whether there is sufficient evidence, including corroboration of the essential facts and whether there is evidence of sufficient quality and reliability to support a prosecution. The Procurator Fiscal will also have to decide whether a prosecution is in the public interest. Application of these criteria to cases involving similar charges can quite properly result in different outcomes.

Caledonian MacBrayne

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comment by the Deputy Minister for Highlands and Islands and Gaelic on 23 February 2000 (col. 73) that "CalMac provides vital lifeline services to routes including Gourock to Dunoon…", whether it will confirm that the Gourock–Dunoon service is classed as a "lifeline" service.

Sarah Boyack: Under the terms of The Highlands and Islands Shipping Act 1960 the classification "lifeline" has no statutory basis, however Ministers take the view that the Gourock–Dunoon (passenger only) ferry service is necessary to maintain or improve economic or social conditions in the Highlands and Islands.

Drug Misuse

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many child deaths in the past five years were caused by (a) heroin and (b) methadone.

Angus MacKay: The information available is given in the table below.

  Deaths involving certain drugs, persons aged under 16, Scotland

  


 


1995


1996


1997


1998


1999




(a) heroin (including morphine)


0


0


1


1


0




(b) methadone


2


0


0


1


1




  Notes:

  1. The table gives the numbers of deaths where the drug specified was recorded as being present at the time of death, either alone or in combination with one or more other drugs. When a number of drugs are identified in a body it is not always possible to tell which of them made the major contribution to death.

  2. For the overwhelming majority of cases where morphine has been identified in post-mortem toxicological tests, it is believed that its presence is a by-product of heroin.

  3. The information for 1999 is provisional.

Drug Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £250 million spent each year on dealing with the drugs problem is spent in the north east of Scotland and each other region.

Angus MacKay: As Mr Lochhead is no doubt aware, a Policy Unit review of the total expenditure on tackling drug misuse across the Scottish Executive is ongoing. The initial results of this review have thus far shown that the total estimated drugs expenditure is likely to be over £250 million. The Policy Unit Study does not, however, provide a breakdown in costs by region, and the information sought is not held centrally.

Drug Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the additional expenditure to tackle the drugs problem announced by the Deputy Minister for Justice on 11 May 2000 is earmarked for the north east of Scotland.

Angus MacKay: When launching the Scottish Executive’s Drugs Action Plan on 11 May, I announced that the Executive would be making available an additional £1 million for the rehabilitation of drug misusers and £1 million for improved drug treatment services. We are not yet in a position to say how the extra funding will be distributed, but decisions will be made, and announced, following consultations with all 22 Drug Action Teams in Scotland.

Education

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authorities regarding a recommended level of homework for primary and secondary school pupils.

Peter Peacock: The setting of homework for both primary and secondary school pupils is a matter for consideration by education authorities in consultation with their schools.

Education

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the new monies allocated to schools announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s 2000-01 budget will be disbursed in Scotland.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Following discussion with CoSLA, my department has written to all authorities advising them of how these resources will be allocated. A copy of the letter has been placed in SPICe.

Enterprise

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to firms awarded more than £1 million public assistance since 1 April 1989, how many jobs were promised by the inward investor in each case; how many jobs were created at the time of the highest development of the project in each case; how many jobs existed in each company at 1 April 2000; what the length of stay in Scotland was in each case, and how many of these companies left Scotland after initially locating there.

Henry McLeish: The following table gives the details requested in relation to firms awarded more than £1 million in Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) since 1 April 1989.

  In column 2, the total jobs forecast may include the number of jobs planned to be created by more than one single project.

  In column 3, some of the figures shown will reflect projects not yet fully completed and therefore have yet to reach forecast job creation levels. The Scottish Executive is not necessarily aware of job numbers in individual companies unless these arise as a result of a project which is being grant-assisted. Projects which have been assisted under the RSA scheme are carefully monitored and instalments of grant released only when the company passes agreed thresholds for expenditure and job creation. The figures in column 3 therefore represent the jobs created at the latest point of monitoring for grant-assisted projects referred to in column 2.

  


1


2


3


4


5




Name of Company


Total Jobs Forecast 
arising from Grant Assisted Projects


Number of Jobs 
attributable to grant aided projects, and achieved at latest 
point of monitoring


Length of time 
company has had a presence in Scotland (years)


Is company still 
in Scotland?




COMPAQ COMPUTER MANUFACTURING 
LTD


1,400


1,400


11


YES




ROLLS ROYCE OBO EAST KILBRIDE 
AIRMOTIVES


802


420


50


YES




AMP OF GREAT BRITAIN LTD


429


211


45


YES




IBM (UK) LTD


891


302


46


YES




ROYAL ORDNANCE PLC


493


470


84


YES




CRUSADER INSURANCE PLC


428


224


10


YES




DRUMMONDS PACKAGING


100


100


20


NO




CIBA-GEIGY PIGMENTS


242


201


51


YES




LEVI STRAUSS (UK) LTD


232


294


31


YES




MICHELIN TYRE PLC


621


617


17


YES




SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGIIES LTD


320


269


10


YES




DELTA CAPILLARY PRODUCTS LTD


191


195


25


YES




MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC (UK) LTD


225


132


21


YES




MOTOROLA INCORPORATED


3,052


2,747


31


YES




SKY TELEVISION PLC


1,900


1,478


10


YES




DIGITAL EQUIPMENT (SCOTLAND) 
LTD


1,196


1,322


20


YES 1




JABIL CIRCUIT COMPANY LTD


907


829


8


YES




NEC SEMICONDUCTOR (EUROPE) LTD


690


958


18


YES




SEAGATE MICROELECTRONICS LTD


375


375


13


NO




WYMAN-GORDON LIMITED


270


320


11


YES




QUINTILES UK LTD


300


217


4


YES




AWARD PLC


570


790


5


YES 2




CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS LTD


1,895


224


3


YES




RUSSELL CORP UK LTD


154


213


12


YES




SHIN ETSU HANDOTAI


345


385


16


YES




EXABYTE CORPORATION


240


200


10


YES




TASCO EUROPE LTD


421


500


2


YES




BRITISH TELECOM 


630


405


7


YES




ABBEY NATIONAL PLC


739


733


6


YES




UNITED BISCUITS (UK) LTD


95


95


52


YES




FOSTER WHEELER CORPORATION


215


220


10


YES




POLAROID (U.K.) LTD


589


689


38


YES




KVAERNER GOVAN


262


262


12


YES




FORBO NAIRN LTD


350


351


50


YES




SOLECTRON SCOTLAND LTD


705


336


6


YES




FIFE JOINERY MFT. LTD


151


154


5


YES




LEXMARK


500


353


5


YES




CANON (UK) LTD


610


350


10


YES




BERMO INC.


105


71


4


YES




ALCAN CHEMICALS EUROPE


508


503


50


YES




CHUNGHWA PICTURE TUBES LTD


370


1,200


5


YES




LITE-ON TECHNOLOGY CORP.


1,031


164


2


NO




SMART MODULAR TECHNOLOGIES (EUROPE) 
LTD


370


343


4


YES




MATSUSHITA INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT 
CO LTD


131


164


8


YES




BOOTS CONTRACT MANUFACTURING 
DIVISION


316


501


51


YES




OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO LTD


267


209


13


YES




PHILIPS LIGHTING LTD


697


697


54


YES




ELONEX PLC


287


187


3


NO




DELTA TEXTILES (LONDON) LTD


372


310


17


YES




ISOLA WERKE UK LTD


341


418


15


YES




YASKAWA ELECTRIC CORPORATION


226


127


9


YES




JVC MANUFACTURING U.K. LIMITED


280


225


12


YES




ORGANON LABORATORIES LTD


150


155


53


YES




FIRST DIRECT


4,964


910


3


YES




BENCHMARK ELECTRONICS


660


500


13


YES




HIGH SPEED PRODUCTION LTD


642


200


20


YES




SCI LIMITED


722


700


16


YES




NACCO MATERIALS HANDLING


289


235


30


YES




ROCHE PRODUCTS


705


415


20


YES




BRITISH AEROSPACE (COMMERCIAL 
AIRCRAFT)


1,175


1,175


30


YES




SMITHKLINE BEECHAM PHARMACEUTICALS


366


386


30


YES




FUJI ELECTRIC


100


125


9


YES




CTS CORPORATION UK LTD


507


626


36


YES




CONNER PERIPHERALS


1,507


400


6


NO




AMKOR ANAM


700


340


2


NO




HEALTH CARE INTERNATIONAL 
(SCOTLAND) LTD


1,800


750


6


YES




JOHN HORN LTD


197


197





YES




HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHERS LTD


106


106


30


YES




CHARNOS PLC


465


280


5


YES




BA TELESALES


450


500


10


YES




DAWNFRESH SEAFOODS


150


150


18


YES




ANDERSON GROUP PLC


675


675


8


YES 3




  Notes:

  1. Digital Equipment (Scotland) was acquired by Motorola and the jobs quoted for 1 April 2000 are for the Motorola plant at South Queensferry.

  2. Award was acquired by Bausch & Lomb in 1997.

  3. Anderson was acquired by Charter plc in 1992, became Long Airdox in 1996 and was the subject of a management buy-out in 1998.

European Funding

Dr Richard Simpson (Ochil) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a strategy for termination or continuation of projects in receipt of term-limited funding from Scottish Executive and European Union sources to ensure that organisations in receipt of such funds can fulfil their human resource management obligations to their staff.

Mr Jack McConnell: It is not for the Scottish Executive to ensure that organisations in receipt of European Funds fulfil their statutory or other obligations to their staff. Nevertheless, in view of the hiatus between the closure of existing Structural Fund programmes and the issue of grant awards under the new programmes, arrangements are in preparation to provide bridging finance for vulnerable projects in the voluntary sector which are at risk of serious financial difficulties during that period.

Finance

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimated proportion of the overall Scottish budget is spent on labour costs.

Mr Jack McConnell: The estimated proportion of the overall Scottish budget spent on public sector pay, excluding the element of support to private/voluntary sectors and nationalised industries which is spent on pay, is 49% for 2000-01.

Finance

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be used by the Spending Strategy Group in relation to the distribution of money to different areas of Scotland for education, transport and health.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Spending Strategy Group will propose an allocation of resources between programmes that Cabinet will subsequently ratify. This process will take account of the Executive’s commitments to all areas of Scotland as set out in the Programme for Government . It will be for individual Ministers to announce final decisions on the allocation of resources within their programmes, following consultation with CoSLA and other appropriate deliberations.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the definition is of a twin rig trawl for the purpose of compliance with mesh size regulations for fishing nets.

Mr John Home Robertson: There is at present no formal definition of a twin rig or a multi-rig trawl for the purpose of compliance with mesh size regulations for fishing nets. The Executive is currently working to develop a suitable definition. This will be issued as soon as practicable, either in guidance or in forthcoming regulation.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement regarding the implementation and effectiveness of the satellite monitoring system as it applies to the Scottish fishing industry and to fishing vessels registered outwith Scotland but fishing in Scottish waters.

Mr John Home Robertson: Satellite monitoring of fishing vessels over 24 metres became mandatory from 1 January 2000. All Scottish vessels in this category subject to the requirements of the satellite monitoring regulations are now equipped with onboard terminals. The majority of these vessels are fully compliant and providing signals at the required frequency. There are, however, a number which are not yet fully compliant for various reasons. All of these are being followed up with the appropriate vessel owner.

  As far as fishing vessels registered outwith Scotland are concerned, all of those boarded at sea or seen in port by officers of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency have the necessary equipment on board. Where signals from these vessels are not being received, the reasons for this are followed up with the Master or, if necessary, with the vessel's flag state's Monitoring Centre should the fault lie in that area. Appropriate enforcement action is taken against any vessel which does not comply with the satellite monitoring requirements.

  The primary function of satellite monitoring is to provide regular information on the position of fishing vessels. Operational developments are at an early stage. The intelligence gathered is being used currently to complement the SFPA’s existing aerial and surface surveillance and will progressively enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of fisheries enforcement within the UK and across the European Community.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the capital investment in council housing was in real terms in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by local authority area.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The following tables set out local authorities’ capital investment in council housing in real terms (1998-99 prices) for each of the last five years.

  Local Authority Capital Investment in Council Housing

  Real Terms (1998-99 prices)

  


 


1995-96




Scotland


522.027




Berwickshire


0.472




Ettrick & Lauderdale


2.445




Roxburgh


3.462




Tweeddale


1.083




Clackmannan


4.443




Falkirk


13.185




Stirling


8.921




Annandale & Eskdale


3.269




Nithsdale


5.876




Stewartry


1.694




Wigtown


3.677




Dunfermline


12.229




Kirkcaldy


14.418




North East Fife


3.137




Aberdeen


21.594




Banff & Buchan


8.002




Gordon


5.793




Kincardine & Deeside


5.590




Moray


5.737




Badenoch & Strathspey


1.307




Caithness


2.897




Inverness


5.431




Lochaber


4.077




Nairn


0.913




Ross & Cromarty


6.186




Skye & Lochalsh


1.945




Sutherland


1.577




East Lothian


8.884




Edinburgh


33.680




Midlothian


7.637




West Lothian


10.358




Argyll & Bute


4.656




Bearsden & Milngavie


1.743




Clydebank


9.008




Clydesdale


4.044




Cumbernauld & Kilsyth


1.855




Cumnock & Doon Valley


3.772




Cunninghame


12.980




Dumbarton


7.355




East Kilbride


1.932




Eastwood


1.638




Glasgow


99.756




Hamilton


16.757




Inverclyde


12.086




Kilmarnock & Loudoun


8.692




Kyle & Carrick


12.675




Monklands


15.740




Motherwell


19.511




Renfrew


26.779




Strathkelvin


6.708




Angus


8.605




Dundee


18.958




Perth & Kinross


7.566




Orkney


0.858




Shetland


4.981




Western Isles


3.457




  Local Authority Capital Investment in Council Housing

  Real Terms (1998-99 prices)

  

 

£ million




 


1996-97


1997-98


1998-99


1999-2000 Estimate




Scotland


377.254


327.847


322.829


344.581




Aberdeen City


15.610


16.099


21.526


23.798




Aberdeenshire


10.742


9.873


8.311


11.448




Angus


8.417


8.453


6.435


6.180




Argyll and Bute


3.187


4.699


3.928


3.895




Clackmannanshire


3.856


3.011


3.217


3.982




Comharlie nan Eilean Siar


2.855


2.072


2.190


2.275




Dumfries and Galloway


10.101


11.006


7.322


12.666




Dundee City


15.100


12.104


13.071


12.289




East Ayrshire


9.294


7.743


11.425


8.202




East Dunbartonshire


4.564


3.163


2.482


4.458




East Lothian


7.485


7.693


6.605


6.625




East Renfrewshire


2.405


2.099


1.423


1.541




City of Edinburgh


26.773


20.670


21.175


27.519




Falkirk


10.763


8.307


10.834


12.263




Fife


16.105


14.693


21.234


22.356




Glasgow City


81.912


53.317


50.375


52.110




Highland


15.978


9.819


10.220


11.228




Inverclyde


7.499


6.891


5.715


6.090




Midlothian


5.554


4.618


4.542


5.407




Moray


3.544


4.670


3.080


2.612




North Ayrshire


8.787


8.451


6.139


7.213




North Lanarkshire


28.681


33.149


24.273


25.009




Orkney Islands


0.710


0.556


0.492


0.652




Perth and Kinross


6.107


4.016


3.634


3.650




Renfrewshire


13.622


14.414


13.830


13.301




Scottish Borders


5.335


3.333


4.770


3.825




Shetland


3.371


2.505


2.159


2.834




South Ayrshire


7.673


6.447


7.258


8.397




South Lanarkshire


16.314


16.717


20.559


17.612




Stirling


6.458


5.287


5.139


5.901




West Dunbartonshire


8.933


9.093


7.055


8.032




West Lothian


9.521


12.879


12.411


11.211

Housing

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which lending organisations have expressed a view to it on extension of right to buy to housing association tenants and, of these, how many were in favour of this extension and how many expressed reservations.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Two lending organisations have responded to the Executive’s proposals and expressed a reservation over retrospection, a subsidiary matter to the main proposal and one on which we have always indicated our intention to consult.

Housing

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the proposed rental guarantee structure for tenants involved in stock transfer and what sanctions it proposes will be available to tenants of proposed future landlords which break guarantees on rent.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Proposed rental regimes are a matter for each landlord(s) to decide and their proposals will be fully set out for tenants before any proposal to transfer goes to ballot. The rental policy will be set out in the tenancy agreement and provision can be made in the contract of sale on issues relating to the rental policy. There is of course no rental guarantee structure under current housing provision by local authorities.

Pensions

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government about the bringing into force of legislation shielding personal pensions from vesting in the event of the policy holder becoming bankrupt, and how many people in Scotland it estimates will lose their personal pensions between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2001 if such legislation is not brought into place by the end of that year.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has made no representations to Her Majesty’s Government about bringing this legislation into force. It is estimated that 375 people will lose their personal pensions between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2001 if legislation is not brought into place by the end of that year.

Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-550 by Mr Jim Wallace on 9 August 1999, whether it will now initiate measures to promote any economic benefits of fox hunting to rural Scotland in the light of the introduction of the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has no such plans.

Rural Affairs

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to deliver its Programme for Government commitment to support and enhance all aspects of rural life.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has made considerable progress since last July in putting the needs of rural Scotland at the very heart of policy-making. Our commitment to giving rural issues a high profile was signalled by my own appointment as the first ever Cabinet Minister for Rural Affairs and by the establishment of a Ministerial Committee on Rural Development. Since then, we have taken steps to tackle a range of issues - including housing, transport and health – which matter to rural communities.

  The next step in that process is Rural Scotland: A New Approach, which I am publishing today. It sets out a vision of the rural Scotland we want to see, describes how the Executive is beginning to develop policies to meet rural needs, highlights where more work is needed and offers an invitation to everyone with an interest in rural Scotland to work with us to help deliver the vision. Copies of the document have been lodged with SPICe.

Sexual Abuse

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide further safeguards for victims of sexual abuse and their families.

Angus Mackay: The Executive’s commitment to ensuring that victims of sexual abuse and their families are adequately safeguarded is demonstrated in a number of different ways.

  Children are one of our main priorities and a range of measures in the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 were designed to offer them protection. Since then, guidance on inter-agency co-operation was issued in 1998 and a recent review of Child Protection Committees is informing the production of revised guidance for the operation of these committees.

  Offenders convicted of offences against children (Schedule 1 offenders) are also subject to procedures which are intended to promote child protection. These procedures augment the normal statutory post-release supervision services provided by local authority social work departments. Supporting guidance emphasises the responsibility for community safety, as a major component in the supervision of sex offenders, as well as covering the rehabilitation of sex offenders.

  In addition, the Expert Panel on Sex Offending, established under the Chairmanship of Lady Cosgrove to take forward the recommendations of the report A Commitment to Protect, is addressing the need for information for parents and the community in general on keeping children safe. The panel is due to report in April 2001.

  Sex offender orders, which were introduced on 1 December 1998 under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, also provided important new safeguards. The Act now allows the police to apply to the sheriff for an order against anyone with a previous conviction for a sex offence, whose behaviour is giving cause for concern that the public is at risk of serious harm. The order has the effect of prohibiting such behaviour.

Transport

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the distribution of funds from the Scottish Bus Group pension fund to the former employees of the Scottish Bus Group.

Sarah Boyack: Section 14 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 1989 allows for any surplus remaining in the Scottish Transport Group Pension schemes to be paid in accordance with a specific Dissolution Order to wind-up the Scottish Transport Group. The Order would prescribe to whom the group should pay the surplus. The Scottish Executive will bring forward such an Order for the Parliament’s approval in due course.

Transport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, if it established a Highlands and Islands transport authority, it would be possible to enable it to purchase petrol and diesel for resale to motor vehicle users in the Highlands and Islands; if so, whether it would give the authority such a function and what budget it would make available to enable the authority to fulfil this function.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is jointly commissioning work to examine the issue of whether to establish a Highlands and Islands transport authority and, if so, the functions it should discharge.

Water

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the future of British Waterways in Scotland, and whether it has any plans to change the role of (a) the board of management of British Waterways and (b) British Waterways as they affect Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: I would refer to my answer to question S1W-1652. It is proposed that British Waterways (BW) should continue to manage, subject to satisfactory performance, the Scottish canal network as it does at present and that, subject to the agreement of the Scottish and Westminster Parliaments, a number of new and distinctive features will be introduced to ensure appropriate accountability to the Scottish Executive in its future role as Government sponsor of BW’s activities in Scotland.